DOWN ON THE JETTY
The Jetty cast, plot and filming locations – BBC’s crime drama explained
Jenna Coleman gives her verdict on this new BBC thriller
THE BBC is unleashing their latest gripping drama, The Jetty.
With actress Jenna Coleman leading the cast, the series is bound to be a smash hit. Here we look at what you can expect from the show.
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What is BBC's crime drama The Jetty about?
The Jetty sees a fire tear through a property in a scenic Lancashire lake town.
Detective Ember Manning must work out how it connects to a podcast journalist investigating a missing person cold case, and an illicit relationship between a man in his twenties and two underage girls.
But as Ember gets close to the truth, it threatens to destroy her life.
It forces her to re-evaluate everything she thought she knew about her past, present and the town she’s always called home.
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Who stars in The Jetty?
Jenna Coleman as Ember
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Jenna Coleman takes the lead in The Jetty as Detective Ember Manning.
Speaking about her character, she told the BBC: "Ember is quite prickly, stubborn, proud and free-willed. She’s also very warm and loyal.
"And I also think she’s really funny.
"Cat Jones’ writing of her is very sardonic, dry, and she’s not easily impressed.
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"In the series she’s going through an awakening and really finding herself.
"Her husband, who she was with from a very young age, died a year before the series starts, so she’s going through this new kind of re-discovering of herself."
Jenna Coleman to star in new BBC thriller The Jetty
The actress kicked off her career in Emmerdale and Waterloo Road, before moving onto top dramas.
Jenna is best known for ITV's Victoria, BBC's The Cry, and The Serpent.
Archie Renaux as Hitch
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Actor Archie Renaux shot to fame in Netflix's The Witcher spin-off, Shadow & Bone.
In The Jetty he plays Hitch, who works alongside Detective Ember Manning.
Speaking about the plot, Archie said: "It always keeps you guessing.
"It takes you down a lot of dead ends, and gets you thinking that you know all the answers - like I did when I first read the scripts - but then you’ll be taken somewhere completely new and realise you’ve been fooled!"
Archie has also starred in BBC drama Gold Digger and dystopian film Zero.
Amelia Bullmore as Sylvia
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Fans will recognise Amelia Bullmore for her roles in top dramas Scott & Bailey, Vienna Blood and Gentleman Jack.
The actress takes on the role of Sylvia, Ember's mother, in The Jetty.
Describing her character, Amelia said: "Sylvia is spiritual and creative, yet disappointed with her life.
"She wants to have a good time and follow her dreams.
I think that the scenic lake town makes it the perfect place for this story, because it’s beautiful but there’s also a sense of mystery and elusiveness to it that’s quite unnerving.
Archie Renaux
"Sylvia is Ember’s mum and Hannah’s grandmother.
"She had Ember when she was quite young, and Ember had Hannah when she was really young, so they’re all quite unusually close together in age.
"Sylvia doesn’t feel like she had many choices for how her life would play out when she had Ember.
"Her life was mapped out for her and so she views Ember with a funny mixture of envy and pride, whereas her love for Hannah is far more straightforward."
Weruche Opia as Riz
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In The Jetty, Weruche Opia plays the role of crime podcaster, Riz.
Speaking about the show and her character, the actress said: "Riz classifies herself as a journalist.
"She’s a crime podcaster who focuses on missing people and she’s taken it upon herself to investigate the cold case of a girl who went missing 17 years ago.
"She’s undertaken this investigation as she believes that if nobody will fight for this young girl, then it’s Riz’s duty to do so and reveal the truth."
Before The Jetty the actress was best known for the smash hit series, I May Destroy You.
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Where is The Jetty filmed?
The Jetty was filmed in Lancashire, where the series is set.
Locations used included Hollingworth Lake, which you can find in Littleborough, Rochdale.
The cast and crew were also spotted shooting in Todmorden, which is a small west-Yorkshire market town close to Manchester.
Talking about filming there, actress Weruche said: “The lake town is the perfect setting because the scenery in and around Lancashire where we filmed is so idyllic.
“It’s mad to think that so many things can be hidden and buried in plain sight, just under the surface of this little lake town.”
Speaking about the backdrop for the series, actor Archie said: "I think that the scenic lake town makes it the perfect place for this story, because it’s beautiful but there’s also a sense of mystery and elusiveness to it that’s quite unnerving.
"The setting mirrors Ember’s relationship with her past."
How to watch The Jetty
The Jetty kicks off on BBC One at 9pm on July 15, 2024.
The four-part series will air at the same time on Monday nights concluding on August 5, 2024.
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Fans can also watch episodes on the BBC iPlayer after they have aired.
The series was written and created by Cat Jones who is known for her work on EastEnders,
BBC crime dramas
The BBC is reopening case files on an all-star line-up of crime dramas this summer.
Here's a refresher on the popular programmes which span six decades.
- Campion: Aired from 1989 to 1990, this detective drama series was adapted from novels by Margery Allingham and stars Peter Davison.
- Dalziel And Pascoe: A gritty detective drama series about a mismatched pair of policemen, based on the award-winning books by Reginald Hill. Aired from 1996 to 2007.
- Death In Paradise: A misanthropic detective inspector is assigned to a Caribbean island against his will. Premiered in 2011 and is still on air to this day.
- Happy Valley: Created by Sally Wainwright, this northern noir follows Sarah Lancashire as Sgt Catherine Cawood – tough, defiant and facing her traumatic past.
- Hinterland: Welsh drama starring Richard Harrington. Brooding DCI Tom Mathias uncovers secrets – and links to his troubled past amid mountainous terrain and close-knit villages. Aired from 2013 to 2016.
- Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Based on the novels of Elizabeth George, this drama series is about upper-crust DI Thomas Lynley and working class DS Barbara Havers. Aired from 2001 to 2007.
- Jonathan Creek: Starring comedian Alan Davies, this comedy-drama series follows a inventor of magic tricks who is often called in to solve puzzling murders. Aired from 1997 to 2016.
- Law & Order: Originally broadcast in 1978, this four-part drama series is about the British judicial system. Stars include Peter Dean and Derek Martin.
- Life On Mars: Beguiling science-fiction police drama following a Manchester policeman who travels back to 1973 following a car accident. Stars John Simm and Philip Glenister. Aired from 2006 to 2007.
- Line Of Duty: Created by Jed Mercurio, this drama follows the investigations of AC-12, a controversial police anticorruption unit. Stars Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, aired from 2012 to 2021.
- Luther: Crime drama series starring Idris Elba as DCI John Luther. Aired from 2010 to 2019, with a follow-up film released in 2023.
- New Tricks: Warm-hearted drama following an eccentric group of old-fashioned detectives. Starring Dennis Waterman, Amanda Redman, Alun Armstrong and James Bolam. Aired from 2003 to 2015.
- Sherlock: Benedict Cumberbatch stars a modern day Sherlock Holmes, teaming up with Martin Freeman's war veteran Dr Watson to solve impossible crimes. Aired from 2010 to 2017.
- Shetland: Detective drama starring Douglas Henshall, Ashley Jensen and Alison O'Donnell, showcasing the dark side of one of the most beautiful places on earth. Premiered in 2013 and is still on air to this day.
- The Cops: Set in the fictional northern town of Stanton, this acclaimed, provocative police drama stars Katy Cavanagh, Rob Dixon and John Henshaw. Aired from 1998 to 2001.
- Waking The Dead: With a cast including Trevor Eve, Sue Johnston and Wil Johnson, this series follows a cold case team who unearths sleeping secrets, but sometimes the past is best left buried. Aired from 2000 to 2011.
- Wallander: Starring Sir Kenneth Branagh, Kurt Wallander is unable to unsee the dark crimes he's tasked to investigate while Wallander's job comes at a cost to his family and relationships. Aired from 2008 to 2016.
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